Xerographic printing devices such as printers and copiers use standard cartridges for replacement of toner. A standard toner cartridge comprises four main components, including a toner hopper, a magnetic roller assembly, an excess toner catch bin and a photoreceptor drum. The toner hopper and magnetic roller assembly can be separated from the excess toner catch bin and photoreceptor drum. Once the toner hopper and magnetic roller assembly are separated they typically can be broken down further by mechanical means such as by prying them apart with a screwdriver.
With the proliferation of xerographic printing devices such as copiers and laser printers, a significant market has developed for replacement toner cartridges. The most expensive solution for replacement cartridges is to buy a completely new toner cartridge when the old cartridge is spent. A less expensive solution is to purchase a remanufactured toner cartridge. In the remanufacturing process, the toner hopper and magnetic roller assembly are usually separated, cleaned, repaired, refilled with toner, and resealed. A seal is typically placed between the toner hopper and the magnetic roller assembly to prevent toner from flowing out of the toner hopper into the magnetic roller assembly during transport and installation. Remanufacturing is feasible because most of the items (i.e., the toner hopper) are made of hard plastic which do not wear out during normal use and therefore can be reused.
In a typical cartridge remanufacturing operation the cartridge is rebuilt in the following manner. First, the cartridge is split by means of a mechanical device to separate the toner hopper from the magnetic roller assembly. Both parts are cleaned of toner and sealant residue, and the magnetic roller assembly is repaired, if necessary. After the parts are cleaned, a new seal is applied between the toner hopper and the magnetic roller assembly. The seal is typically formed by using a pressure sensitive adhesive or by means of a heat seal. A common pressure sensitive adhesive is made out of strips of specially coated polyester film. A portion of the seal strip is usually arranged so that once the cartridge is reassembled it can be pulled to open the seal and release the toner.
Once the seal is made the toner hopper is filled with toner by opening a fill hole in the cartridge by means of a removable plug. After the plug is removed the toner hopper is filled from a bottle or filling machine, and then any excess toner that may have spilled is cleaned from the hopper.
Once the toner hopper is sealed and refilled with toner it is attached to the magnetic roller assembly by means of clips or other mechanical devices.
During the rebuilding of a toner cartridge there is a significant amount of time spent cleaning, resealing and refilling the toner hopper prior to reattaching it to the magnetic roller assembly. The handling of the toner and the sealing materials introduces the possibility of contamination of the toner, spilling and waste of the toner, or insufficient sealing between the toner hopper and the magnetic roller assembly.
What is needed is a presealed, prefilled toner cartridge insert that fits into the toner hopper and eliminates the need for refilling and resealing the original toner hopper.